NEW YORK (AP) — Dominic Smith hit the go-ahead home run in his first game since tearfully pleading for help combating racial inequality, Pete Alonso also connected and the New York Mets beat the crosstown Yankees 6-4 in the opener of a doubleheader Friday.
Amed Rosario hit a walkoff, two-run homer to lift the Mets to a 4-3 victory in the nightcap — a bizarre scene in the Bronx, where the Yankees batted first as the visiting team in the makeup of a game postponed last weekend.
The sweep sent the Yankees to their seventh straight loss.
Rosario connected off closer Aroldis Chapman (0-1) with pinch-runner Billy Hamilton at second base. Chapman walked Jeff McNeil to open the inning, and Hamilton promptly stole second despite being picked off by the All-Star left-hander.
Rosario then cranked his third home run of the season into the left field seats, setting off the second big celebration in the visiting dugout as the Mets swept the Yankees in a doubleheader for the first time.
Jared Hughes (1-1) pitched a perfect seventh inning for the Mets.
Smith, a 25-year-old Black man, wept Wednesday night reflecting on a recent shooting by police of a Black man in Wisconsin. Smith and his teammates were all smiles after his decisive solo shot against Chad Green in the sixth inning on what was Jackie Robinson Day around the majors.
Smith’s drive followed a tying three-run shot by Pete Alonso, and Jake Marisnick also connected in the inning against Green (2-2).
Clint Frazier homered and reached base four times for the Yankees, who lost their sixth in a row.
Walker Lockett (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings in relief for the Mets. Edwin Díaz struck out the side in the ninth for his second save.
Lockett was designated for assignment between games to create roster space for nightcap starter David Peterson.
NATIONALS 10, RED SOX 2
BOSTON (AP) — Max Scherzer struck out 11 in six innings, and Juan Soto and Howie Kendrick hit back-to-back homers in Washington’s five-run third.
Trea Turner and Victor Robles had three hits apiece and Josh Harrison also homered for Washington, which handed Scherzer (3-1) a 5-0 lead in the third. The three-time Cy Young Award winner allowed one run and six hits to win his third straight decision.
Boston left-hander Martín Pérez (2-4) gave up six runs and eight hits in four innings. The Red Sox scored one in the ninth and loaded the bases before Ryne Harper got the last two outs.
The Nationals snapped a three-game losing streak and sent the Red Sox to their fourth loss in five games.
RANGERS 6, DODGERS 2
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Derek Dietrich led off the Texas seventh inning with a tiebreaking home run and the Rangers beat the Los Angeles Dodgers.
It was the first time in six years the Dodgers were away from home for Major League Baseball’s annual observation of Jackie Robinson breaking sports color barrier. It is traditionally held April 15, the date in 1947 that he made his debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers, but had to be altered because the coronavirus pandemic pushed back the start of this season nearly four months.
After Los Angeles tied the game with two runs in the top of the seventh, Dietrich’s opposite-field shot to left off reliever Jake McGee (2-1) put Texas up 3-2. Shin-Soo Choo and Nick Solak added RBI hits, and Jose Trevino a sacrifice fly, in the four-run outburst as the Rangers won for only the second time in 12 games.
The Dodgers (24-10), coming off a doubleheader sweep at San Francisco and without a series loss this season, were the only MLB team without at least 10 losses before Friday.
Mike Minor, the Texas lefty still without a win this season, pitched six scoreless innings and exited with a 2-0 lead that was gone almost immediately. Reliever Joely Rodriguez allowed doubles to Will Smith and Corey Seager before Justin Turner’s tying RBI single.
RAYS 2, MARLINS 0
MIAMI (AP) — Ryan Yarbrough and two relievers combined on a five-hitter, and AL East-leading Tampa Bay won its third game in a row.
Top Marlins prospect Sixto Sanchez struck out 10 in seven scoreless innings in his second major league start, but the Rays broke through against Miami’s bullpen when Yandy Diaz delivered a two-out RBI single in the eighth.
Michael Perez, a late addition to the Rays lineup, added a two-out RBI single in the ninth.
Yarbrough pitched 6 2/3 innings before leaving with a tight left groin. Pete Fairbanks (4-1) got the win, and Diego Castillo earned his second save.
Richard Bleier (1-1) got the loss.
BLUE JAYS 5, ORIOLES 4, 10 INNINGS
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Randal Grichuk hit a two-run homer with two outs in the 10th inning, lifting Toronto to the win.
With Reese McGuire standing on second base, Joe Panik popped out on a bunt attempt and Cavan Biggio lined out. But Grichuk followed with his ninth homer, a drive to straightaway center on a 1-0 pitch by Cole Sulser (1-3).
Baltimore had taken a 4-3 lead on Hanser Alberto’s bloop RBI single against Rafael Dolis (1-1) in the top of the 10th. Alberto had four hits and Renato Núñez homered for the Orioles in their third straight loss.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Teoscar Hernández hit back-to-back homers for Toronto, which improved to 4-5 in extra-inning games.
REDS 6, CUBS 5
CINCINNATI (AP) — Eugenio Suárez and Jesse Winker homered, helping the Reds to their third consecutive victory.
Suárez went 3 for 3 and drove in three runs, taking another step forward after slumping for much of the season. Winker had two hits and scored twice.
Cincinnati's Tyler Mahle (1-1) shook off a slow start on his way to 11 strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings. The right-hander pitched shutout ball after surrendering solo drives by Anthony Rizzo and Kyle Schwarber in the first.
NL Central-leading Chicago dropped its third consecutive game. Willson Contreras and Jason Heyward homered in the ninth, but Raisel Iglesias got two outs for his fourth save.
Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks (3-4) allowed five runs and a season-high 10 hits in six innings.
PHILLIES 7, BRAVES 4
PHILADELPHIA (AP) —Scott Kingery hit a three-run homer off Mark Melancon with two outs in the 11th inning and Philadelphia won its fourth straight.
Andrew McCutchen and Jean Segura hit two-run homers for the Phillies.
Ender Inciarte and Austin Riley hit consecutive pitches off reliever Adam Morgan into the seats in the seventh to tie it at 4.
Blake Parker (2-0) tossed a scoreless 11th, aided by J.T. Realmuto throwing out Inciarte trying to steal second for the second out with a runner on third.
Realmuto was on second to start the bottom half against Mark Melancon (2-1). He advanced on Segura’s sacrifice. After Didi Gregorius was intentionally walked, Neil Walker struck out.
But Kingery ended it with his first career walk-off homer, a liner into the seats in left.
BREWERS 9, PIRATES 1
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jedd Gyorko homered twice and Corbin Burnes struck out 10 in six innings to lead Milwaukee.
Burnes (1-0) gave up three hits and walked one as the Brewers bounced back after dropping six of their previous eight games. They were swept in a three-game series at Pittsburgh last weekend.
Gyorko hit solo shots in the first and seventh innings for his sixth career multihomer game. His last one came against the Brewers on May 1, 2017, when he was playing for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Ryan Braun and Jacob Nottingham also homered for the Brewers. JT Riddle connected in the seventh for Pittsburgh.
Pirates starter Derek Holland (1-2) faced Milwaukee for the third time this season. He struck out eight, but gave up eight runs, six hits and four walks over five innings.
WHITE SOX 6, ROYALS 5
CHICAGO (AP) — Yasmani Grandal hit his third career game-ending home run in the ninth after a defensive miscue as Chicago beat Kansas City.
Yoan Moncada had an RBI single in the seventh, Eloy Jimenez added a two-run homer and Luis Robert also homered for the White Sox who have won 10 of their last 11 games and eight straight at home.
Grandal broke a 5-5 tie with a leadoff homer off Ian Kennedy (0-2) in the bottom of the ninth.
Alex Colome (1-0) finished the game by getting the final four outs after blowing his first save attempt.
Jorge Soler hit a two-run home run and Whit Merrifield added a solo shot for the Royals, who have lost all four of their games to the White Sox this season.
INDIANS 14, CARDINALS 2
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Franmil Reyes homered and drove in five runs, Carlos Santana hit a home run and scored four times and Cleveland routed St. Louis.
Friday was Jackie Robinson Day across the majors. Eleven big league games were postponed this week as teams protested racial injustice in the wake of Jacob Blake, a Black man, being shot by police in Wisconsin last weekend.
Tyler Naquin also homered as the Indians got 20 hits, seven for extra bases. Reyes, Roberto Perez and Delino DeShields each for three hits.
The Cardinals hadn’t allowed 20 hits in a nine-inning game since 2016.
Reyes launched a three-run drive in the first inning and the Indians boosted their lead to 6-0 in the second. Reyes, Francisco Lindor and José Ramírez each scored three runs.
Cam Hill (1-0) got the win and Adam Plutko went four innings for his first save.
Daniel Ponce de Leon (0-3) managed to record only two outs, allowing four earned runs.
Dexter Fowler hit a two-run homer in the second inning for the Cardinals
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PADRES 10, ROCKIES 4
DENVER (AP) — Ty France had four RBIs and San Diego overcame an early four-run deficit.
Eric Hosmer and Wil Myers each contributed four hits as part of San Diego’s 19-hit attack. Manny Machado had three hits while extending his hitting streak to 10 games. Zach Davies (5-2) struck out six in 5 2/3 innings, allowing four unearned runs in the first.
Matt Kemp hit a three-run shot for Colorado, and Nolan Arenado finished with three hits.
San Diego tied the game with three runs in the fifth and pulled away with a four-run burst in the sixth. After hitting a one-out double, Fernando Tatis Jr. showcased his speed in scoring the go-ahead run, advancing on a wild pitch that barely trickled away from catcher Tony Wolters and sprinting home just ahead of a strong throw from Sam Hilliard on Machado’s sacrifice fly to shallow center off Jeff Hoffman (2-1). France added a three-run double to put the Padres up 8-4.
ANGELS 3, MARINERS 2
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Mike Trout homered, Justin Upton delivered the tiebreaking RBI single in the sixth inning and Los Angeles has won back-to-back games for only the second time all season.
Albert Pujols had an RBI double to tie George Brett for the sixth-most doubles in major league history in the opener of 10 consecutive home games for the last-place Angels. Trout homered in the eighth, while Upton went 3 for 4 in the first multi-hit game of the veteran Halos slugger’s rough season.
That was enough for Andrew Heaney (2-2), who rebounded from three straight disappointing starts with 7 2/3 innings of four-hit ball in his longest and best outing of the season.
Ty Buttrey got his fourth save.
Nick Margevicius (1-2) yielded seven hits over six innings in another strong start for the Mariners. Sam Haggerty drove in the game’s first run with a single in the sixth, but Seattle lost for only the second time in seven games.
DIAMONDBACKS 7, GIANTS 4
PHOENIX (AP) — Zac Gallen earned his first win of the season, Starling Marte had two hits and two RBIs and Arizona snapped an eight-game losing streak.
Gallen (1-0) came into the game with a 2.25 ERA, but had taken a no-decision in his first six starts. The right-hander threw seven impressive innings, giving up five hits and issuing one walk.
The Giants scored their only run off Gallen when Evan Longoria homered in the sixth.
Arizona is still in last place in the NL West but improved to 14-19. Ketel Marte had two hits, including a double, and scored two runs. Christian Walker had two RBIs.
Tyler Anderson (1-2) had a rough outing less than a week after throwing a three-hitter against the Diamondbacks in San Francisco. The left-hander was charged with seven runs and nine hits in 4 2/3 innings.
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